News Archive 2007
Toyota Corolla Announced for 2008 ARC Season!
Posted Saturday, October 20th, 2007.
Glen Raymond started his rallying career in 2003 competing in the Victorian Club Rally Series in a 1976 Toyota Corolla. In 2008 he and his co-driver, brother Matthew, will embark on their third year in the NEC Australian Rally Championship, however with the team stepping out of a Subaru and back into a Corolla it will be very different season to what they have experienced over the past two years.
Glen and Matthew will be running a Toyota Racing Development prepared Group N (P) Corolla, which was used in some rounds by current Australian Champion's Simon and Sue Evans in 2005 - but has spent most of its life as the TRD test car. "It's really exciting for us," said Glen Raymond.
"It's not a works drive by far but we will be out there in a previously run manufacturer car, it's just such a buzz for the whole team!" Raymond has a good history behind the wheel of a Corolla, in 2004, driving the 1976 Corolla which had been built by his brothers Stephen and Matthew, he won the Junior Cup in his local club rally series and in 2005 Glen stepped into another Corolla taking out the 2WD class at the Victorian State Round - Akademos.
However, while there will be some familiarity when he gets in the drives seat, the teams newest Corolla will have little in similarity to the families original. "I started out in a Corolla because they were fast and reliable, these days the improvements that have been made are enormous; the current models are unbelievable compared to what they used to be in the 70's," said Raymond.
The upgrade to the Corolla is a big step for the young, family run team which have improved in leaps and bounds since their ARC debut at the 2005 NGK Rally of Melbourne. Glen showed his potential from this first round, finishing 13th outright in the ARC class and third outright in the state - an impressive effort in his first outing in a 4WD. From there he and Matthew went on to tackle the full 2006 NEC ARC in their 15 year old Subaru Legacy.
After a long year where they consistently set top ten outright stage times, in a car that struggled for power and pace, the Raymond's upgraded to a Subaru Impreza WRX Sti for 2007. While they were hampered by reliability issues for the first half of the season, they currently sit in an impressive eighth outright - tied with the Pirtek Ford Rally Team's Darren Windus - heading into the final round of the 2007 series.
"It's always been an uphill battle in an older car, just to be competitive; we have been constantly chasing reliability. The corolla is proven car and it's fast, it's the next step up for us; we truly believe it is a firm step in the right direction," said Raymond. "I've only taken the car for a short test, but it truly is a testament to the guys at TRD, they have taken a fantastic package and turned it into an outright winning car," he continued.
"I'm really excited about getting to drive it for a full season; I just can't wait to get in a good competitive car that has proven itself to be fast and best of all reliable, and just got out there and have some fun."
TRD team boss and former Australian Champion Neal Bates is excited about the deal and can't wait to see what the young team can do in competition next year.
"Glen's a driver with a lot of talent and I'm sure he can do very well in the Corolla, I'm really looking forward to seeing how he goes," said Bates. "They are a great family and I've spoken with the a lot since they began in the Championship, we've both been running Michelin's so they have come to us for advice from time to time.
"I think he will be quite quick next year, he has done really well in the cars they have been competing in considering their age and reliability, we've often been surprised and impressed by the stage times they have been able to achieve."
A true believer in the potential of the small car to highlight the abilities of the young team Bates is also excited about a new era for the Toyota Corolla in the hands of an upcoming Privateer team.
"It will be a great boost for Toyota, while other privateers have tried their hands at driving a Corolla in the past, no one has ever committed themselves to a fulltime attempt on the ARC, and so we'll definitely be keeping an eye on their progress."
The Corolla will spend its last event as part of TRD at next months NGK Rally of Melbourne before being handed over the Bendigo Bank Team. The Corolla will be based out of the teams 'workshop' on their family property near Warragul in Victoria and will be prepared during the 2008 season by their current service crew.
http://www.rally.com.au/home/features/articleid=2632
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Raymonds Announce Two Car Line up for Rally of Melbourne
Posted Wednesday, October 17th, 2007.
The Bendigo Bank Rally Team will field a two car line up at next months NGK Rally Of Melbourne, the final round of the 2007 NEC Australian Rally Championship. Young NEC ARC regulars Glen and Matthew Raymond will again campaign in their Bendigo Bank Subaru WRX STi, while the husband and wife combination of Stephen and Melissa Raymond will also compete in the NEC ARC section in the Legacy used by Glen and Matthew in 2006.
The 2007 season has seen Stephen working tirelessly as Crew chief and Melissa in charge of event logistics as well as the couple squeezing in VRC driving duties between NEC ARC events. Both have played an integral part in the Bendigo Bank Rally Teams rise through the NEC ARC ranks. In many instances Stephen and Melissa have forgone their own VRC campaign to donate parts from their Legacy to ensure the Bendigo Bank STi makes it to every event this year.
Team owner Roy Raymond commented "Melissa and Stephen are the back bone of our program," commented team owner Roy Raymond. "The commitment and support they have given Glen and Mathew has been endless. So they have well and truly earnt a weekend off to pursue their own goals"
When asked who would fill the substantial gap left in the service crew ranks Roy replied jokingly " Me of course! We have come along way since our first ARC event in 2005. For the remaining crew servicing two vehicles will be a challenge we know they will meet with their usual determination"
For many team owners thoughts now turn to 2008, and whilst Roy was in a talkative mood, the topic of the teams plans for 2008 was broached. A suddenly tight lipped Roy Raymond replied " We have some very exciting plans for next year. I'm not in a position to announce specifics until we have had time to inform the crew and our sponsors. Expect an announcement soon though."
While Stephen and Melissa Raymond take the opportunity to sit in the car rather than lay under it, it will be business as usual for Glen and Matthew Raymond who will be looking to continue their good form into the final event of the year. The reliability the team has been chasing from the ageing Bendigo bank STI is now reaping benefits with the team sitting in equal 8th outright with Darren Windus' Pirtek Rally Team S2000 Fiesta.
"We love the Rally of Melbourne" commented an excited Glen Raymond "Melbourne was my first ever ARC event back in 2005 and my first drive in an all wheel drive turbo car so the Rally of Melbourne always has a positive feel about it for Matthew and I.
"Combine that with it being our home event and having Melissa and Stephen competing as well its going to be a chance for everyone to get together before the end of the season," Raymond added. Being the Bendigo Bank Rally Teams home event the loud and proud supporters that follow the team all over Australia will be out in maximum numbers next month to cheer on the Bendigo Bank STI and the Bendigo Bank Legacy.
Great Lakes Rally - NSW
Posted Wednesday, September 19th, 2007.
A consistent and focused effort throughout last weekends Great Lakes Rally of NSW has resulted in Glen and Matt Raymond pushing their Bendigo Bank Subaru WRX STI to 5th outright over the 2 days of competition, its highest ever overall finish in Australian Rally Championship.
On SS1 the team were pushing hard to try and gain good position for the rest of the day when a flat tyre slowed the teams progress. They ran out the stage on the flat tyre, finishing 12th fastest on stage. A quick tyre change and a 10th fastest stage time on SS2 helped the Bendigo Bank STI back to 11th place overall.
SS3 was a long and demanding stage. The Bendigo Bank STI was progressing well when driver Glen Raymond lost all brakes as the pedal hit the floor mid stage. Once again the team limped through the stage to finish an incredible 8th fastest on stage and jump to 9th overall.
On inspection prior to SS4 the cause of the brake problem was diagnosed, a large rock had damaged a brake caliper expelling the fluid from the brake system. The downhill SS4 was approached with great caution. Glen Raymond's only instruction to his co driving brother Matt prior to the stage was "Read the notes faster we've got no brakes!" An outstanding 13th fastest was the result and the team had held onto 10th outright heading into service.
The cancellation of the remaining afternoon stages was a blessing in disguise for the team, as this allowed them to finish the heat and concentrate on repairing the vehicle. The true spirit of competition came shining through when NSW Local competitor Dave Darby sourced a spare rear caliper for the Bendigo Bank STI which allowed the team to enter Day 2 with a fully working car.
Spirits were high as the team embarked on Heat 2 of the NSW Great Lakes Rally. The team immediately made its presence felt posting a 5th fastest stage time on SS1 again running out the stage with a flat tyre after hitting a large rock that had come to rest on the stage. The Bendigo Bank STI continued to set stage times in the top 8 before heading into service.
The Bendigo Bank STI entered the final service of the event in 6th place overall. Tyre choice for the last three stages of the day would be critical. With the events of the previous two days exhausting the teams reserve of new tyres, the service crew sent the Bendigo Bank STI out on the best used Michelin tyre combination they could muster with their remaining stocks. Glen once again posted a 5th fastest stage time and for the first time fastest privateer on SS12 running on second hand Michelins.
Driver Glen Raymond explains his predicament about heading into the last forest stage of the day. "To get the 5th fastest stage time on SS12 we had to push the old car hard. As a result we completely stripped the Michelins bare and we still had 12.5 kms of competitive stages left. Matthew and I decided to just go as hard and as fast as the conditions would allow and hope for the best."
I'm pleased to say the Michelins held up extremely well considering the abuse they took. The quality of our tyres is one thing we have never compromised on and the Michelins have made the difference for us this weekend. As a privateer you have to accept that you run to a tight budget but I'm extremely happy with the outcome a 7th outright and 5th overall for the weekend.
The team has done an outstanding job with the limited resources at our disposal. Its a great result for us to launch into our home event the Rally of Melbourne in November."
Toyota Rally SA
Posted Friday, August 24th, 2007.
Despite a weekend full of problems, the Raymond Partners Accountants Rally Team have taken away an encouraging result from the Toyota Rally South Australia, round 5 in the Australian Rally Championship.
Held in the stunning Barossa Valley, the shire roads offer the crew of Glen and Matt Raymond fast and flowing roads past farm houses, but also offer a huge advantage for local knowledge for the more experienced competition.
Despite a quality field that had the Subaru Liberty start car 20 on the road, the crew blasted through the first 2 stages to be 9th Outright. "In the quality of the field, to get so close to the top teams and knock a few off is awesome!" stated Navigator Matt Raymond.
The excitement was quickly dashed when a gear selector problem lost the team over 40 seconds on the next spectator stage. The next group of stages after service bought more dramas for the team, with the engine suddenly dropping power and not engaging the anti-lag, a crucial aspect of the engine management system that gives maximum engine response.
Despite the issues, including jumping out of 5th gear which eventually broke resulting in a 4 speed gearbox and more gear selector problems the crew was still able to set very competitive times, despite the loss of power and top gear, a must on the flat out roads.
Leaving the final service resulted in the final blow, as when the engine was fired to exit service the timing belt slipped resulting in bent valves and a DNF for both days.
"When everything is running properly, the rally has given us the confidence to know we can be on the pace," said Driver Glen Raymond. "The car will go through a rebuild before our home rally in Victoria on the 23rd & 24th of September to try and get a maximum result for the last round of the Championship."
Toyota Rally SA
Posted Wednesday, August 8th, 2007.
Up and coming ARC driver, Glen Raymond, drove his Bendigo Bank-sponsored Subaru Impreza WRX STI rally car to a creditable ninth outright in Heat 1 of the Toyota Kluger Rally of SA and a strategic 20th in Heat 2 on the weekend of August 11 & 12.
Raymond's drive wasn't without problems though, as an engine misfire cost the team during Heat 1, and a catastrophic turbo failure on stage 2 of the second heat robbed Raymond and co-driving brother, Matt, of a top 10 finish whilst having a strong hold on fifth position and looking for further improvement during the day.
Glen and Matthew posted consistent stage times during Heat 1 of the event despite the mechanical issues. A mystery engine misfire problem cost the crew dearly, and was only rectified for the final group of stages. With a healthy car and high grip levels from their Michelin rally tyres, the team blasted back to rise from 12th place to their final placing of ninth outright.
The Toyota Kluger Rally of SA is notorious for fast open stages requiring a combination of skill and courage if a driver wants to set times near the top end of the field.
"I really enjoy the fast open stages as they reward driver and co-driver commitment rather than car technology" explained Glen. "That said, the pace of this rally has jumped to the next level again, but it's good to know that we are improving too, and are able to keep up the speed despite driving cautiously."
Heat 2 showed the stress and strain placed on the Bendigo Bank STI when the new turbo, fitted prior to the event, failed on Stage 2 after the team had muscled its way into fifth position. Raymond was philosophical about the failure.
"The turbo failure has put an end to us challenging for the top five places today. Turbos are one of those items that either last or they don't. The regulations dictate what turbo we can run in relation to the car's build date, so we do the very best we can with what we have at our disposal. The team has done an outstanding job of refurbishing the WRX STI, but we are asking a ten year old car to run at a pace that is even taking its toll on the latest model cars. When the car broke we were beating Neal Bates and were within a second of Dean Herridge, which is really exciting as I really
look up to these guys."
With the South Australian round over, the team will now focus on the NSW Rally of the Great Lakes in September.
Click here to read a story written about the Raymond Partners Rally Team's progress.
Rally of Canberra
Posted Thursday, June 7th, 2007.
Glen & Matt Raymond have recovered well from a Leg 1 high speed impact to take out 9th position in leg 2 of the Rally of Canberra, round 3 of the NEC Australian Rally Championship.
The leg 1 incident occurred when the team launched the car over a crest at over 160km/hr, landing the Bendigo Bank STI heavily, damaging the radiator and oil cooler.
"I had made a conscious decision to come out of the blocks hard for this event" commented Glen Raymond. "Up until this event we had been giving the other teams a head start by being too cautious in the morning stages.
Our new strategy was paying off, despite having minimal brakes on the first night stage, as we were 6th outright when we damaged the car. It was simply a case of too much speed equalling too much distance."
Day 2 was to be a much more productive day for the team as The Bendigo Bank STI set consistent top 10 stage times. However a broken rear drive shaft would hinder their progress up the leader board.Despite the vast amount of time lost, the crew still finished a credible 9th outright.
At the the halfway point of the NEC Australian Rally Championship The Bendigo Bank Team are positioned 11th outright in the NEC Championship, 7th outright in the Privateers Cup and 2nd outright in Class P5.
The team will now overhaul the Bendigo Bank STI ready for the second half of the ARC calendar.
"We will take the opportunity to use the time between Canberra and Adelaide to completely strip the car and rebuild it. We plan to fit a new engine and completely overhaul the driveline." stated team manager Roy Raymond. "We have eliminated the overheating problems that slowed Glen down in Queensland and WA.The car is now performing the way we want it to, the next stage is to eliminate any mechanical failures before they arise. I firmly believe the South Australian round of the ARC will reward Glen and the crews perseverance and patience over the first half of the championship"
Rally Driver Development Program
Posted Tuesday, May 22nd, 2007.
A recent visit to the Australian Institute of Sport as part of the CAMS Rising Star Program has left a lasting impression on ARC competitor Glen Raymond.
The Rising Star program gives young up-and-coming drivers access to AIS knowledge and facilities normally reserved for Australia's elite sports people. The Motorsport-specific program addressed physical fitness, strength, nutrition and mental preparation.
When asked what impact the program had and what part of the program he felt had benefited him the most he replied: " I enjoyed the entire experience and the motivation you get from being around elite sports people is infectious" Raymond said. "Overall the time spent with the sports physiologist had the biggest impact on me. The techniques I have learnt in regards to mental focus and goal setting will allow me to be more calculated in my approach to driving.
"Overall the experience has been outstanding and my thanks goes to CAMS and the AIS for the opportunity to participate in the Rising Star program" he added.
Quit Forest Rally
Posted Thursday, May 3rd, 2007.
Raymond Partners Accountants Rally Team driver Glen Raymond and his co-driver Matt Raymond have driven their Bendigo Bank Subaru Impreza WRX STI to 8th outright in leg 1 and 15th outright in leg 2 after a failing differential ended day 2 midway through SS 17.
The rally was extremely challenging for Glen as he experienced first hand why the forests of Nannup have a reputation for breaking cars and drivers. Leg 1 was driven in perfect conditions, with Glen and Matt setting stage times equal to the bigger budget ARC teams.
The pair held onto 8th outright despite overheating problems and an intermittent fuel surge issue. "This was a real learning experience again just like Queensland," said Glen. "We had issues similar to Queensland however this time the crew knew exactly what was required and we were able to push harder as the day progressed."
Another challenge for Glen was coming to terms with the 5 speed dog box and driveline transplanted into the car just hours before it left Victoria for the long haul to WA. " Obviously the six speed with active centre diff we usually run would have given us a definite advantage over our current set up, but that said I am pleased with our pace compared to some of the later model cars that have a mechanical advantage over us. The Parts and Service department at Albroys Subaru in Warragul have been busy sourcing the parts we need from Japan, so we can have the Six speed box and active centre diff tested and running ready for Canberra"
Overnight the heavens opened up and the previous days perfect conditions turned into every rally drivers worst nightmare. Unpredictable surface changes and pace notes written in the dry! Glen and Matts day started well with the pairing setting stage times well within the top 10 until the rear diff failed on SS17.
"Its an unfortunate way to finish the weekend" said a tired Glen Raymond. Whilst the conditions were really tough I felt we were coming to terms with them and could have finished strongly.
That said a lot of teams have had some pretty big moments during the last three stage of the event due to the deteriorating conditions. So were happy to take home points from both days and are looking forward to Canberra in June" The Raymond Partners Accountants Rally Team head into round 3 of the ARC sitting 13th outright in the championship, 2nd outright in P5 and 8th Outright Privateer.
Raymonds go Carbon Neutral
Posted Sunday, April 22nd, 2007.
In a first for the NEC Australian Raly Championship, the Raymond Partners Accountants Rally Team today announced that they are now officially a carbon neutral rally team.
The initiative is a joint venture between Raymond Partners Accountants Rally Team and major sponsor Bendigo Bank. Through Bendigo Bank's Generation Green program, the carbon dioxide produced during the team's 2007 ARC Campaign will be offset by re-vegetating cleared land.
This vegetation will absorb the greenhouse emissions produced by the team's Subaru Impreza WRX STI crewed by Glen and Matt Raymond and also the support vehicles used by the crew at each event. Generation Green is a program that gives all Australians the chance to lessen their impact on the environment.
Several years ago Bendigo Bank introduced Green home and personal loans to encourage customers to make their homes more energy efficient. And the Bank itself has undertaken significant measures to reduce its own impact - offsetting vehicle emissions, reducing power usage and building one of Australia's first five-star energy rated office buildings.
"It might seem a strange thing for a bank to do, but Bendigo Bank has always been focused on the sustainability of local economies, communities and the environment," Bendigo Bank Gippsland South Regional Manager Russell Carrick said. "The health, prosperity and sustainability of our customers and their communities is fundamental to the long-term prospects of our business."
"For rallying to successfully head into the future, we need to run it in parallel with the environment" stated driver Glen Raymond. "We are proud to be the first rally team to initiate this concept, hopefully we can give back to the environment in which we receive so much fun and enjoyment from."
The Generation Green initiative is available to Bendigo Bank customers and the community at large. For more information on the various ways to reduce your impact on the environment visit http://www.bendigobank.com.au/public/generationgreen/generation_green/index.asp
rally.com.au story
Posted Thursday, April 5th, 2007.
A frustrating outing at last month's coates Rally Queensland has sent Privateer competitor Glen Raymond back to the drawing board after his team struggled to get to grips with their newly acquired Subaru Impreza WRX.
The rapid Victorian battled from the outset of the event with poor handling and an overheating engine, problems he's hoping are now well behind him.
"We've spent an absolute age between Queensland and the lead up to this weekend's Round in WA trying to diagnose the problems with our car," explained Raymond earlier today. After showing promise last season in a rapid but largely unreliable Subaru Legacy, Raymond stepped up to a newer specification Impreza WRX for the 2007 season, hopeful that the updated machinery would bring a change in fortune.
Unfortunately for the family team, who run on a shoe-string budget, the former Queensland State Championship winning Impreza immediately developed concerns from the very first stage at the first Round.
"After ages spent trying to diagnose and fix the overheating troubles including a de-tune, we turned to discover why the electronic centre diff was not working properly," he explained. "It turns out the centre diff is completely worn out because the car has been running the wrong diff ratio's front to rear. This means the front and rear wheels were always running at different speeds and the centre diff could not operate at all."
"No wonder it didn't handle properly!" exclaimed Glen.
Emphasising the family spirit of the team, older brother Stephen stepped in to ensure Glen made it to the second Round of the NEC ARC with a fighting chance. "Due to no re-build kits in the country for the diff, I was lucky enough to have Stephen lend me his 5 speed dog box from the Legacy I ran last year, even though this will make him miss the next State Round."
The overheating issue which caused Glen serious concern throughout coates Rally Queensland though remains to be resolved.
"We had a short test on the Morwell Hillclimb that again discovered the car still overheated. Perplexed as we were, we de-tuned the car more and turned the anti-lag off. Now despite a drop in power, the car will now handle properly, not overheat and will get to the finish line!"
The young Victorian though is looking on the bright side and remains upbeat despite the frustrating start to the season. "I am aiming for a finish this event due to the points loss from Queensland, and just to have fun after the frustration of the new car's 'teething' troubles," he added.
coates Rally Queensland
Posted Wednesday, April 4th, 2007.
The 2007 Coates Rally of Queensland had the beginnings of an outstanding 2007 for brothers Matt & Glen Raymond. The pair had great expectations after an incident packed 2006, that a Younger, lighter and faster WRX would give them the tools they needed to show their true potential.
However it seems the mechanical gremlins that haunted them in 2006 have hung on for the start of 2007. Overheating problems attributed to an over boosting turbo and ECU issues resulted in the Teams new WRX being de tuned to reduce the stress on the engine and to allow Glen & Matt to complete Day 1 in the hope of a more competitive day 2.
Additional tuning and adjustment by Crew Chief Stephen Raymond allowed the pair to post some competitive stage times throughout day 2. Whilst the engine issues were far from eliminated the team took some comfort in the robustness of the new vehicle.
An optimistic Glen Raymond commented midway through day 2. " We have isolated the causes of the overheating problems , but unfortunately there is no quick fix that we can implement here in service. I'm pleased with our stage times considering the issues we had on day 1. The car handles well and I'm pushing as hard as I can under the circumstances."
It was shortly after the last service of the day that the crew were notified that despite their previous hard work, an alternator failure had ended the teams event, two stages from the finish. On his return to the service park Glen reflected on his weekend.
" I'm obviously disappointed but at the same time I consider myself one of the lucky ones. Others have had bigger issues than me to deal with this weekend. Queensland has the reputation of being a hard event on crews and machinery. We have learnt allot about the new car that will help us when we compete in WA at the end of April. I had my first ARC drive in WA last year and loved it. I am really excited about coming back to Busselton and Nannup"
Click here to read the interview about Glen's 2006 season and plans for the 2007 rally season.
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